1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to streaming of multimedia content. More particularly, it relates to time shifted transcoded multimedia streaming of multimedia content.
2. Background
Multimedia streaming is becoming more and more common with the advent of faster and faster data connections. However, even as data connections, such as the Internet, cable providers, satellite providers, etc., become faster, uninterrupted review of multimedia content (as defined throughout this specification can include any of video only content, audio only content, and a combination of video/audio content etc.) streamed from a server has not been attained for most users.
For example, review of streamed Internet multimedia content is subject to any of a number of impediments. The speed of a source server, the speed of a data connection, the processing speed of a receiving data client, traffic on a shared data connection, etc. are all potential impediments to uninterrupted review of streamed multimedia content.
Everyone has experienced interrupted multimedia streaming. For example, when viewing multimedia content on YouTube, users frequently experience interruptions. A multimedia streaming interruption most commonly results in a message being displayed on a client device that multimedia content is being buffered and for the user to wait until multimedia viewing can recommence. During buffering, a user is forced to simply stare at the screen until multimedia viewing can recommence, resulting in extreme frustration for a user of the client device.
FIG. 5 shows a conventional system for streaming multimedia content to a data client. In particular, the conventional system 500 for streaming multimedia content to a data client includes a streaming server 510, a data network 120, a plurality of data clients 530a-530d, collectively and individually described herein as data client 530. Data clients 530a-530d can include any of a variety of digital data devices, such as a cellular telephone 530a, a personal computer 530b, a satellite television receiver 530c, a satellite radio receiver 530d, etc. Although not shown for simplicity purposes, data clients 530 can include data network connected Blu-Ray players, data network connected video game systems, data network connected televisions, data network connected cable television receivers, etc.
In response to a data client 530 request for multimedia content or as a broadcast of multimedia content, streaming server 510 formulates multimedia data packets 540. A multimedia data packet 540 typically includes a header portion 542 and a payload portion 544. For requested multimedia content, the header portion 542 conventionally includes an address of the requesting data client 530. The payload portion 544 of multimedia data packet 540 includes the multimedia content.
For a satellite radio broadcast, the payload portion 544 includes audio only multimedia content. For a video broadcast, the payload portion 544 includes both video and matching audio content. For either type of multimedia content, successive data packets 540 are formulated by streaming server 510 that include the multimedia content. The successive data packets 540 provide chronologically ordered segments of multimedia content that, once reassembled at a receiving data client 530, form a stream of multimedia content that can be enjoyed by a user of the data client 530. If the bandwidth of the streaming server 540, the data network 120, and/or the data client 530 is adequately high enough, a user will experience an uninterrupted multimedia streaming experience. However, in many instances the user is not so fortunate.
FIG. 6 shows a conventional data client for reviewing streaming multimedia content. In particular, the data client 530 includes a network interface card 532, a multimedia buffer 534, a central processing unit (CPU) 536, and a sensory device 538.
Data client 530 receives a plurality of data packets 540 through a network interface card (NIC) 532. The headers of the data packets 540 are stripped off and the payload is recorded in the multimedia buffer 534.
The CPU 536 transfers the streaming content from multimedia buffer 534 to an output device, e.g., the sensory device 538. For review of video multimedia content, sensory device 538 can be conventionally connected to a video display device to allow review of the multimedia content being streamed from multimedia buffer 534. Likewise, if the multimedia content is audio, the CPU 536 transfers the streaming content from multimedia buffer to a sound card (not shown) for conversion to an analog form for listening on a speaker (not shown).
The multimedia buffer 534 is used to collect streaming content from data packets 540 in advance of a user reviewing the streaming content. However, as discussed above, for any of a number of reasons the streaming buffer 534 may become empty, i.e., may run out of streaming content, which results in interruptions to the steaming of multimedia content to the data client 530.
There is a need for an apparatus and method which allows for uninterrupted or reduced interruption review of multimedia content. This would provide a user of a client device an improved multimedia experience.